Where growing, making & good living come together

Ten things to do while waiting forever for soap to trace

Posted by on Friday 25 February 2011 in frugal, making, soap | 6 comments

1. Stare blankly out of the window (I did this a lot).

2. Gyrate your hips at the same speed/direction as the whisk for a lower back workout. (Warning: if you do this for a few minutes, it feels really weird when you stop .)

3. Wonder if that itch on your cheek is just an itch or a splash of caustic soap which will burn your entire face off. Itch or disfiguring splash? ITCH OR DISFIGURING FACE BURNING SPLASH?!! Oh, itch.

4. Look up “mixture not tracing” in the troubleshooting section of your soap making book and in a spate of paranoia, decide it’s all those problems together, even the ones that directly contradict each other and also worry that even though the itch on your cheek has stopped, perhaps it’s slowly melting YOUR ENTIRE SKULL.

5. Grow concerned for your mental state.

6. Have a cup of tea to calm down.

7. Think it’s finally tracing because it’s getting harder to stir, then realise no, it’s not tracing, it’s just your arm is getting really, really tired.

8. Wonder if it’ll ever trace. Ever, ever, ever.

9. Decide this is boring and a ballache and should never be attempted again.

10. Decide that once it’s reached trace and is poured into molds to take the dog for a walk and while you’re out go to Netto to buy more oil so you can started another batch this afternoon (I like grinding new skills – ie trying them multiple times in quick succession).

It’s been a long day.

6 Comments

Join the conversation and post a comment.

  1. Colleen

    I know this was all pretty stressful at the time but if it is any compensation it gave me a good laugh just now when I read it. I hope there are no holes in your skull though. :lol:

  2. Alexis

    very funny!

    my books say that sometimes it can take over an hour before you reach trace.

    • louisa

      I wish it took an hour! The olive oil was closer to three! (I stirred constantly for about an hour and half, then regularly every five/tens mins or so after that.)

      I think it was a combination of starting the olive oil at too low temperature – and just using all olive oil. Definitely something to review in the future.

  3. Yuffie Soaps

    Super funny!
    If you are going to continue soap making (and you should!) get a stick blender! They are a Godsend to your mental state. Trace happens much more quickly with one of these lovelies!

    • louisa

      At the (incredibly slow) rate that we’re getting through the stuff I made back in February, I don’t think I’ll have to make any more for quite a while – but I’m definitely going to look for a cheap stick blender before then!

Leave a Reply to Yuffie Soaps Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *